Current online advertisement is dominated by provider-based ads. However, provider-based ads (ads paid by the service provider) have many drawbacks. First, these ads can be distracting for non-buying users. Second, the conversion rate is usually low; many clicks occur without actual materialization of any transaction. Third, it is inefficient for consumers to search a large number of ads, hoping to find appropriate service providers and vendors. It can be time-consuming for consumers, inefficient for business marketing and further it can miss locating several viable service providers.
One possible solution is to allow consumer to list their requests and hope that providers will respond. Such known services include Craigslist.org and the like. However, these services can be problematic. In some cases, a user does not know how many (if any) suitable service providers subscribe to, or have access to, a particular service. In addition, a user may not know whether his request was, or will be, viewed by any provider. In other cases, users may need to provide a phone number and other details in order to get any quotations. Giving contact information is known to lead to many potential problems for users, such as unwanted e-mails, phone calls, and mail.
In many current web-based services, a user must provide a valid phone number to receive detailed information from the service provider. However, this typically will lead to a barrage of unwanted phone calls and e-mails from multiple providers vying for the user's business. These providers often poorly understand the user's desires and requirements, thus resulting in an unpleasant and inefficient user experience.
For example, ServiceMagic (www.servicemagic.com) is a service matching users to prescreened, customer-rated service professionals for home services, such as landscaping, remodeling, etc. Upon using the ServiceMagic services, a user “will be prompted to disclose certain information . . . this information will be sent to service professionals who will need this information to respond to you or to other persons or entities . . . ” (www.servicemagic.com, May 2008). By providing this information, or by submitting a service request, a user expressly consents to being contacted by ServiceMagic and by service professionals. ServiceMagic may collect information that can identify a user, such as name and e-mail address, and further may combine the personal information received from different sources.
As another example, intended to point out shortcomings associated with the art, AgentEvaluator (www.agentevaluator.com) is an internet site that allows home buyers and sellers to compare real-estate agent professionals and brokers to help buy or sell a home. While advertised as “anonymous,” the policies described therein state that personally identifiable information—such as name, e-mail address, or phone number—is necessary “to provide the personalized or enhanced service that [a user] has requested.” A user is asked to enter his or her address and phone number even though the site claims that those contact details are not sent to service providers. Clearly, such methods and systems are not substantially anonymous and are not desirable from the point of view of a consumer.
As an example in the home-mortgage market, according to a March 2008 survey conducted by Harris Interactive (cited at http://zillow.mediaroom.com), it can be more important for borrowers to keep their contact information private than to find the best rates. Lenders can be too eager to sell the borrowers on a deal after they know how to find borrowers. In addition, borrowers are concerned about having their personal information sold or shared. Therefore, the need to protect consumers' identities and tip the balance of power into their favor is paramount.
Some known methods employ “reverse auctions.” A reverse auction (also called procurement auction, e-auction, sourcing event, or e-sourcing) is a type of auction in which the role of the buyer and seller are reversed, with the primary objective usually to drive purchase prices downward. In an ordinary auction (also known as a forward auction), buyers compete to obtain a good or service. In a reverse auction, sellers compete to obtain business.
Web-based reverse auctions have become popular for purchasing everything from accounting services to securing raw materials. With these reverse auctions known in the art, buyers typically create a project description and post it online. Invitations are then sent out to registered vendors who can place a bid if desired. Limitations of such services include that only registered vendors will be notified or have access to such requests. Because the pre-registered vendors with any specific service or web site will typically represent a small percentage compared to open business-directory-listed vendors, suitable vendors may never become aware of such requests. Business opportunities can therefore be missed in these reverse auctions.
There remains a need in the marketplace for improved methods and systems that better empower consumers to efficiently find suitable service providers. Specifically, what are needed are methods and systems that proactively reach out to potential service providers to screen and select one or more service providers for the consumer, such methods and systems not being limited by pre-registration of service providers.
In view of serious shortcomings (to the consumer) associated with known methods, it would further be particularly advantageous for methods and systems to keep the identity of consumers private throughout the provider screening process as much as possible, until a prospective vendor satisfies screening criteria defined by the consumer and/or further negotiation requires disclosure of private contact information. It would be beneficial for any disclosure to be completely voluntary between the consumer and the vendor and not be disclosed to any third party.